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Electrical Computer-Aided
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Tips and Tricks

Videos
(Press your browser's Back button to return to this page)

z Click here to watch a demo of the Super Project Manager add-in for AutoCAD
Electrical®

z Click here to watch a video that illustrates how easy it is to insert a terminal strip
using AutoCAD Electrical®

z Click here to watch a video that illustrates the insertion of 3-phase contacts
using AutoCAD Electrical®

z Click here to see the Schematic Surfer in action

z Click here to see the AutoCAD Electrical® Automatic Reports tool in action
How To's
INDEX (click text to advance to area of interest)

z 11 easy steps to creating your own custom "smart" border template for
AutoCAD Electrical®

z Understanding the differences between AutoCAD® and AutoCAD Electrical®

z Project-in-Project solutions for AutoCAD Electrical®

z Creating a preferred vendor parts catalog for AutoCAD Electrical®

z Understanding the enhanced catalog number Lookup capabilities of AutoCAD

Electrical® version 2011

z Understanding some of the various support files used by AutoCAD Electrical®

z Understanding some of the optional symbol attributes used by AutoCAD

Electrical®

z Understanding the WDBLKNAM attribute in AutoCAD Electrical®

z Managing auxiliary contacts with AutoCAD Electrical®

z AutoCAD Electrical® allows the Schematic to also serve as a Wiring Diagram

z How to get AutoCAD Electrical® subassembly parts into the BOM with unique
item numbers

z How to use Footprints created with plain "vanilla" AutoCAD®

z Sharing AutoCAD Electrical® across a network

z List of Family Codes used by AutoCAD Electrical®

z AutoCAD Electrical® IEC tag mode (Combined Installation/Location tag mode)

explained

z The origin of the JIC symbols that ship with AutoCAD Electrical®

z A General Overview of Global Electrical Standards

11 easy steps to creating your own custom "smart" border

template for AutoCAD Electrical®
1. Develop the basic border drawing for your company. Type ATTDEF at the command prompt to insert
attributes. Insert attributes with tag names such as SHEET, TOTALSHEETS, DESC1, DESC2, DESC3,
REV, DWGNO, etc., setting such properties as text height, width factor, justification etc.

2. Create a project called Border_Template. Don't worry about putting any drawings in it. Inside the
Border Template folder create a new text file called default_wdtitle.wdl or Border_Template_wdtitle.wdl.
Note: Acad/E searches the project folder first for either _wdtitle.wdl or default_wdtitle.wdl. If neither is
found in the project folder it will search the User folder for default_wdtitle.wdl. This WDL file controls the
prompt text you get when you right click a project name in the Project Manager and select Descriptions
to enter the project line label data. The default is LINE1, LINE2, etc. The syntax for this file is as follows:

LINE1=your prompt here (i.e. Project Description:)

LINE2=your next prompt here (i.e. Drawing No.:)
LINE3=your next prompt here (i.e. Revision Level:)
…etc. until you have accounted for every attribute, except SHEET, TOTALSHEETS, DESC1, DESC2,
DESC3.

3. Click the Project pull-down menu and select Title Block Setup. Choose method 2 and click OK. This
method automatically creates a mapping attribute called WD_TB. This attribute's data will be filled in for
you in the next step, but will be marked as invisible. The WD_TB attribute value maps the project line
label data that you enter from the prompts in the _wdtitle.wdl file to the matching attribute in the title
block.

4. Click the drop-down arrows next to each Project Line Label prompt and assign select the attribute
you want the data delivered to during the Title Block Update operation. Again, do not try to assign
anything to SHEET, TOTALSHEETS, DESC1, DESC2, DESC3 yet. That is covered next.

5. Click on Drawing Values button at lower right. From this screen you match up the Sheet (%S) with
the SHEET attribute and the Sheet Maximum with the TOTALSHEETS attribute. Then match up
Drawing Description 1 with DESC1, Drawing Description 2 with DESC2, and Drawing Description 3 with
DESC3. Note: When you perform a title block update the sheet number and total number of sheets,
along with whatever text you entered into the three description lines for each drawing, are dropped into
the previously determined title block attributes.

6. Save the border drawing as something like D_border_base.dwg for a D-size border drawing. I
suggest saving to the Template folder.

Hint: The easiest way to find the template folder is to temporarily change the SaveAs Type setting
to .dwt. This will automatically switch you to the template folder. But before you save change back to a
SaveAs Type of .dwg.

7. Click QNEW or File>New and use the acad.dwt template to start a new blank drawing.

8. Click Insert from the pull-down menu, select Block, and browse to the Template folder. Select the
previously saved base drawing and insert it at coordinates 0,0,0. Note: Do not check the box to Explode
on insert. Once the base drawing is inserted the attributes you placed on the base drawing will not be
visible. This is normal.

9. Click the Drawing Properties icon from the Main Electrical toolbar. Navigate the various tabs and
assign your drawing preferences such as Tag format, Wire Number format, Cross-reference Format,
default Ladder Width, etc.

10. Click Create/Edit Wire Type from the Insert Wire icon's fly-out menu. Enter your company's most
popular wire types. Note: Don't forget to assign a layer color and line type. Hint: You cannot assign a
color or line type until you click in another cell after typing in the wire type information.

11. Finally, click File>SaveAs and set the SaveAs type to .dwt for template. Save the file as something
like D_border.dwt for a D-size drawing template. When you click the New Drawing button in Project
Manager set your Template path to the D_border.dwt file or whatever you named your template. Note:
You will only need to set the path once. It will remain until you change it.
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Understanding the differences between AutoCAD® and

AutoCAD Electrical®
Many people get confused by the fact that AutoCAD "Electrical" has the standard AutoCAD commands
available as well. This is because "Electrical", which was formerly known as an add-in program called
"Wiring Diagram", installs its tools into the AutoCAD menu structure, so it can make use of the AutoCAD
drafting engine. It is not wise to assume that standard AutoCAD commands will produce results that
"Electrical" can interpret. Electrical must maintain control of the drafting engine so Electrical can
manage the databases that run in the background. The drafting engine doesn't know how to interact
with the databases. When you use standard AutoCAD commands you are going off-line and the results
could be ambiguous.

Sometimes manipulating things with standard AutoCAD commands might work but you have to be
familiar enough with the inner-workings of Electrical to know how to manually manipulate the data in
such a way that the Electrical data manager can interpret what you did. For example you can use
ATTDEF and AutoCAD LT to create symbols that are compatible with Electrical but you must know the
proper syntax for the attributes, the symbol naming conventions, etc. However, the Symbol Builder on
the Schematic tab of Electrical will act as a wizard and guide you through the symbol creation process
such that your symbol is sure to offer the Electrical data manager properly formatted data to work with.
You may reason that the only thing that makes a line a wire is the layer name (which must be listed in
the Create/Edit Wire Type table), thus you can assign a wire to a different layer by using the standard
AutoCAD Layer utilities. This is true, but it will be necessary to select each and every wire segment in
the node (a.k.a. wire network), since standard AutoCAD doesn't know how to treat a line segment as a
wire, and will not reason that all segments make up one wire.

Another example of the superiority of Electrical commands over standard AutoCAD commands has to
do with editing a symbol that has already been inserted. A standard rule of AutoCAD is that, once a
block is inserted into a drawing, another occurrence of the same block name in the drawing is merely a
copy of an existing one. So the second time the same block name is inserted into a drawing, AutoCAD
simply copies the one that already exists on the drawing. Why does it do this? The one on the drawing
is already loaded into RAM. To load the same block from the hard drive takes additional computing
time. This time difference was noticeable with older computers. (I started out with an Intel 286/12MHz
computer that had 512KB of RAM.) AutoCAD functioned faster for repeat block insertions by copying
the one that was already loaded into memory. So if you made changes to the block after it was inserted
into a drawing, the only way to see the changes was to delete all instances of this block, purge the
unused blocks, and re-insert the block. You would also need to repopulate any attribute values that
were lost. AutoCAD "Electrical" makes this operation quick and easy with the SWAP/UPDATE tool.

Competitive electrical design programs that install into AutoCAD and use the AutoCAD drafting engine,
turn off all standard AutoCAD functions that they do not control, thereby preventing you from
accidentally breaking your drawings or using the long way around to accomplish a task. For example,
they may have an icon that looks just like AutoCAD Erase tool, but if you click it, the code is re-routed
through their application. Their application prompts you to click on a circuit entity. If you click a wire
segment that is left-over from a "T" intersection and is no longer needed, the Erase command trims the
excess wire. If you click a wire that is complete and connected on both ends, the entire wire is erased. If
you click on a component symbol, the component symbol is erased. This is all done with the same icon.
In order for this economic use of menu icons to work, grips are disabled. You must select the command
first and then select the drawing element you wish to affect. This is only one of many examples where
the electrical add-in program takes over the command structure of the drafting engine in order to dictate
a work-flow that will ensure data integrity.

Some may not like the fact that all standard AutoCAD commands are not available with the competitor
add-ons, thus they would probably prefer the Autodesk version. The makers of AutoCAD “Electrical”,
Autodesk, decided to give you full use of standard AutoCAD commands, so you have a “one-package
fits all scenario”, allowing you to edit legacy AutoCAD drawings and mechanical drawings with the same
software that you use to create electrical control system wiring diagrams. However by accepting
software with this much horsepower under the hood you must also accept the responsibility of knowing
when to use which of its many tools.

Proper classroom training from a qualified instructor is critical to gaining full use of "Electrical".
However, speaking as a user and as an instructor, the introduction of the ribbon menu system, starting
with AutoCAD Electrical version 2010, can significantly reduce the learning curve for a new user and
enforce proper work-flow. For example, the Home tab on the ribbon menu is where you find standard
AutoCAD commands. The Project, Schematic, Panel, Reports, etc. tabs are for electrical functions and
they go in order (left-to-right) of typical electrical design work-flow. You start by creating a project,
followed by the schematic, the panel layout, and reports.

I advise a new user to stay clear of the Home tab. I also advise them not to type commands at the
command prompt. This will prevent those who are experience users of plain "dumb" AutoCAD from
using commands that might break their electrical continuity. Once they become experienced with the
inner workings of AutoCAD Electrical, some manipulation from the command prompt or the Home tab
can be acceptable under certain circumstances. Experienced users of AutoCAD tend to "go home to
momma" and use commands they know. After all, the name of the software has the word AutoCAD in it,
right? But remember that AutoCAD is merely the drafting engine. The real intelligence lies within the
databases and how they "handshake" with the drawing data, the "Electrical" portion of the code. The
drafting engine provides the user with visual feedback so the user can see what type of data is being
written to the database. Consider the symbols for example. The way they look is important for the user,
but not to Electrical. Electrical interprets the attribute values within the symbol blocks, but doesn't care
how the symbol is shaped. The appearance of the symbol is for the user's benefit.

Thanks to the ribbon interface, you no longer see the standard AutoCAD commands (unless you click
on Home), which could damage your electrical drawings and lead to strange results or errors from the
project database manager. Unless you intentionally select the Home tab, or type at the command
prompt, you are working with Electrical commands that lead to a proper work-flow and provide the
database engine with properly formatted data to work with for reports, error analysis, etc.

I strongly encourage a new user of AutoCAD Electrical, including those who are intimately familiar with
standard AutoCAD, to attend a hands-on, instructor-led training course in order to gain the full benefit of
implementing AutoCAD Electrical. But at the very least, upgrade to version 2010 and use the ribbon
interface, avoiding the temptation to use the Home tab or type standard AutoCAD commands. You may
think you don't have the time or money to spend on proper training, but start adding up the cost of the
time lost in floundering around on your own, or visiting the Electrical Discussion Group for answers, and
I guarantee you that a 4-day training course will pay for itself many times over.

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Project-in-Project solutions for AutoCAD Electrical®

Quite often I need to assign a different document number to the various types of drawings in a project.
For example, the schematic must be a unique document number with unique data in the title block,
including page numbering that applies only to the pages that make up the schematic. I must also have a
unique document number, title block data, etc. for the panel layout, the wire list, and the bill-of-
materials. But I still need the intelligent connectivity between the schematic, panel layout, wire list, and
BOM for editing purposes. This can be accomplished within the Project Manager of AutoCAD
Electrical® without any custom programming.

Create your master project with all necessary drawings, as usual. Next create another project for just
the schematic drawings, placing its respective .WDP file inside the same folder as the master
project.WDP file. Hint: Keep all drawings in the master project folder. Right click the schematic only
project and select Add Drawings. Add only the schematic drawings to this project. Repeat this
procedure again for the panel layout, and again for the wire list, and finally for the bill-of-materials. You
now have one master project for performing project-wide edits and updates. But you also have 4
individual projects which you can activate to perform a title block update, allowing each of these "sub-
projects" to have its own unique project line label data and thus a separate document number,
description, page numbering, etc. See the screen shot below:

If you work with sub-projects on a regular basis, you may be interested in a utility we sell, called Super
Project Manager. Start the Super Project Manager and you are given a dialog that allows you to create
sub-projects and select the drawings for each with one easy-to-use interface. These projects are then
automatically added to the Project Manager. In the following screen shot you see the Super Project
Manager interface. I have created two sub-projects and assigned their respective drawings. Drawings 1
through 22 are assigned to sub-project 1, the schematic, denoted as [SCH], while the remainder of the
drawings are assigned to sub-project 2, denoted as [PNL] for panel layout. The Super Project Manager
places the new project title inside brackets and appends this to the master project's name to create the
sub-project name for you. For this illustration I have called my sub-projects SCH for schematic and PNL
for panel layout. They could just as easily have been named for document numbers.
In the next screen image you will see the master project that already existed and the two sub-projects
that Super Project Manager added to Project Manager. I can edit the entire project using the master
project, for bi-directional updates, project-wide operations, etc. But I also have a separate project for the
schematic which allows me to enter different project line label information and run a separate title block
update, so the schematic can have unique page numbering, a unique document number, and
unique description text. The same is true for the panel layout. I can also create sub-projects for the
wire list, bill-of-materials, etc. and do the same for them.

You might also use the Super Project Manager to divide a project that contains hundreds of pages into
smaller groups of drawings so the amount of data that the project manager must manage is trimmed to
only the pages I need to modify. Each sub-project will have its own dedicated database which will only
need to track changes to the limited number of drawings in the sub-project. Note: You can reference the
same drawings in more than one project, so all sub-project drawings can also stay listed in the master
project. Changes made to the sub-projects will automatically appear in the master project.

The Super Project Manager allows you to manage very large projects efficiently without giving up the
reliability of a drawing-driven electrical CAD program. The attraction of database-driven electrical
programs is their speed when dealing with a large number of drawings. The drawing data is stored in a
database and drawings are only refreshed when they are opened for later viewing or printing. This
reduces the amount of time the program must spend updating drawing files. However if the database
crashes, hours of work could be lost before it is written to the affected drawings? Of course the
downside to a drawing-driven approach is that the drawings must be updated in real-time since the data
is stored in the drawings themselves. Each time an edit is made that affects other drawings the user
must await the real-time update, or append it to a running task list that can execute all updates at once,
perhaps during a coffee break or lunch break.

The Super Project Manager will allow you to work at sub-project level, dealing with fewer drawings and
speeding up the real-time processing. Changes made in the sub-project(s) are automatically visible in
the master project. Since the data is stored at drawing level, the master project's database will detect
the changes made to the drawings at sub-project level. So the Super Project Manager allows for a best-
of-both-worlds approach to electrical CAD.

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Creating a preferred vendor parts catalog for AutoCAD

Electrical®
When you share the vendor catalog (default_cat.mdb) across a network you will naturally experience a
slower response time due to network traffic/latency. Here is one way to speed up the part number
Lookup. Copy the default_cat.mdb file and rename the copy to complete_cat.mdb. Now go into the
default_cat.mdb and remove all parts you will never use. If you never use AB, then remove AB from all
tables. Note: The easiest way to do this is when installing AutoCAD Electrical® 2008, only check the
boxes for vendors you prefer. Once the catalog database is trimmed down to only your preferred
vendors the search time will be less. Okay, now you right-click on your project name and select
Properties. Click the button labeled "Other". Next click on the radio button labeled "Optional: Define a
secondary catalog lookup file for this project." Browse to the complete_cat.mdb file. OK out of all the
dialog boxes.

From now on a lookup will go to the "trimmed down" default_cat.mdb. If later you need one of the parts
from the complete catalog, click the "Other" button from within the Lookup dialog and follow the prompts
to temporarily switch to the complete catalog.

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Understanding the enhanced catalog number Lookup

capabilities of AutoCAD Electrical® version 2011
Version 2011 of AutoCAD Electrical® includes significant enhancements to the part number (a.k.a.
catalog) Lookup tool. When you click Lookup you will see that the top left box under Catalog is blank.
Click in this box and start typing a part number. The results in the window below will begin to narrow
down according to what you type in. You can perform similar filtering for other columns, such as
Description, Miscellaneous, etc.

Hint: You can also type a portion of a part number into the Search Database field using an asterisk (*)
for a wildcard. Then click the magnifier icon to begin the search. This will search across family tables so
it is possible to select a part from the TRMS (terminals) table and assign it to a fuse, for example a fuse
holder style terminal.

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Understanding some of the various support files used by

AutoCAD Electrical®
AutoCAD Electrical® obtains some of its functional rules from simple text files called support files. Most
of the files are discussed in detail in the Help system built into AutoCAD Electrical®. The fact is that
some files can be located in more than one location, depending upon the user. For example, the main
parts catalog is the default_cat.mdb file, located by default at My Documents\AcadE 2008\Catalogs.
You could copy this file to a specific project folder and rename it to _cat.mdb, then make modifications
as necessary for the specific project. For example, let's say you want to delete all but the preferred
suppliers for each type of component.
You could take a similar approach with the default.wdw file, normally located at C:\Documents and
Settings\Doug McAlexander\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical 2008\R17.1
\enu\Support\User. Move this file to a specific project folder and modify as necessary to force the
naming convention for wire color/gauge labels.

Another file in the User folder that might be modified for use with a specific project is the
default_wdtitle.wdl file. This file controls the project line label prompts that you see when you right-click
on a project name and select Descriptions. The one that installs by default will most likely need to be
modified to meet your needs. If you use different title blocks, perhaps customer-specific, you may need
to place a _wdtitle.wdl file in the specific project folder so the project line label prompts coincide with the
title block for that project.

If you choose to use the User Defined Attributes functionality AutoCAD Electrical® will create a .wda file
in the folder of the active project. The WDA file stores a list of custom attributes you may have added to
some blocks and that you wish to make available for reports.

The bottom line is that AutoCAD Electrical® looks first inside the project folder for these files before it
will use a default file from the User folder. During a project copy you will see a list of support files that
AutoCAD Electrical® will search for. If any are found they are checked by default, assuming that you
will want to copy them as well. You can uncheck if you wish not to copy the project specific support files.

There is one particular support file that I find particularly useful. You create this one yourself. It is a
simple text file that you create and name wd_fam.dat. This file, if found in the project folder, will cause
AutoCAD Electrical® to ignore the standard component tag designation found in the default field of the
TAG1 attribute of a component symbol file. Instead it will use an alternate tag designation, as listed in
the wd_fam.dat file. For example, if you are using JIC symbols but wish to have switches tagged with
their IEC-61346 equivalent, you might have entries in the wd_fam.dat file like this:

SS,S
PB,S
LS,S
TS,S

In the case above selector switches (SS), push-buttons (PB), limit switches (LS), and thermal switches
(TS), will all be tagged as S , in complaince with IEC-61346.

Note: The wd_fam.dat file is functional during component insertion and during retag operations.

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Understanding some of the optional symbol attributes used by

AutoCAD Electrical®
AutoCAD Electrical® does not interpret the graphical appearance of a symbol. The data stored in
various attributes within the symbol gives AutoCAD Electrical® the information it needs to interpret what
kind of symbol it is and what to do with it.

The CONTACT attribute may have a value of NO, NC, or NCNO for example. This tells AutoCAD
Electrical® whether the contact is to be treated as a normally-open (NO), normally-closed (NC), or
Form-C (NCNO a.k.a. change-over contact). See example below:
The POSITION attributes hold the text value that you can assign to the various positions of a selector
switch. Position 1, POS1, might be designated as Manual while Position 2, POS2, might be designated
as Auto. When you insert a selector switch you will see the fields to type the text into at the lower right,
near the pin assignment fields. The STATE attribute allows you to enter the text string that indicates the
state of the switch in various positions. The letter "O" indicates open while the "X" indicates closed or
connected.

The PINLIST attribute can be filled automatically from the Pin List Database (provided there exists an
entry for the particular MFG and CAT combination). You can optionally click the NO/NC Setup button
while editing the parent or coil of a relay or contactor and enter the pin list. The syntax is explained on
the dialog. Basically you enter the contact type (i.e. 0 for convertible, 1 for NO, 2 for NC, or 3 for Form-
C), followed by a comma followed by the first contact terminal or pin assignment (i.e. A1X), followed by
the second contact terminal or pin assignment (i.e. A1Y), followed by a a semicolon as a delimiter to
start the next group. So a syntax of 0,A1X,A1Y;0,A4X,A4Y indicates the relay has two convertible
contacts with one designated as terminals A1X and A1Y while the other is designated as A4X and A4Y.

The WDTAGALT attribute is used to connect symbols that appear on two different design peers. For
example the solenoid symbol for a schematic looks different than the solenoid symbol for a pneumatic
drawing.
In the example screen image the solenoid symbol on the schematic has a TAG value of SOL2501 and a
WDTAGALT value of FV100B. This signifies that the solenoid has a cross-peer symbol tagged as
FV100B that is the pneumatic equivalent symbol representing the same solenoid. The pneumatic
symbol would have a TAG value of FV100B and a WDTAGALT value of SOL2501.

This peer-to-peer relationship tagging indicates that two different symbols represent the same device.
There is a method for creating these peer-to-peer tags in the Electrical Helps under Advanced
Productivity, but you can simply click the Show/Edit Miscellaneous button on the Insert/Edit dialog of a
solenoid or pneumatic valve symbol and enter the tag name for the related symbol directly if you wish.

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Understanding the WDBLKNAM attribute in AutoCAD

Electrical®
Allow me to clarify one issue that has confused many of us. It involves the WDBLKNAM attribute. You
don't normally need a WDBLKNAM attribute to send the Lookup command to the appropriate table for
schematic symbols, such as the CR table for a control relay. The Lookup operation looks at the 2nd
and 3rd character in the symbol file name to determine what table to look in. If you wish to override this
and direct the Lookup to open a different table, you can enter the alternate table name in the
WDBLKNAM attribute, preceded by an underscore. Note: AutoCAD Electrical® ignores the first
character in the WDBLKNAM attribute value so you must enter some value as a placeholder. I use the
underscore character.

To further illustrate this let's consider the terminal-block-style SPDT relays as an example. The catalog
data might actually be located in the TRMS table, along with other similar devices from the same
supplier, like terminal blocks, fuse holders, etc. You could add a WDBLKNAM attribute to the HCR1
and VCR1 relay symbol blocks and enter a value of _TRMS to redirect the Lookup to the TRMS table. I
would prefer to create an alternate relay coil symbol and add _TRMS to the symbol file name in order to
differentiate it from the standard relay symbols. This way I only look into the TRMS table when the relay
coil is a terminal block style relay. So I would copy HCR1.dwg, rename it to HCR1_TRMS.dwg, and
add the WDBLKNAM attribute with a value of _TRMS. I would also copy VCR1, rename it to
VCR1_TRMS, and add the WDBLKNAM attribute with a value of _TRMS. See illustration below:

Hint: The WDBLKNAM attribute is very helpful for the footprint symbols because their symbol file
names don't coincide with the same naming convention as the ones for schematic symbols. Footprint
file names can be just about anything that makes sense to you. I tend to name them for the
manufacturer and part number, but it is your decision. If you insert footprints from the schematic list, the
catalog assignment comes from the schematic symbol. If the catalog data was not assigned at
schematic level, or if you are laying out your panel first, the WDBLKNAM attribute value can redirect
the Lookup to the appropriate table for that type of device. The illustration below shows a terminal
block style control relay footprint that I created:
Note: Don't get the WDBLKNAM attribute in symbols confused with the WDBLKNAM field in the
catalog database records. The WDBLKNAM field in the catalog database is used by the Symbol Name
Filtering function. With the Symbol Name Filtering box checked on the Lookup dialog (default setting)
AutoCAD Electrical® searches the catalog records for WDBLKNAM entries that match the symbol file
name, minus the first character and minus the file extension. If found, AutoCAD Electrical® offers only
the record or records that match the symbol name, minus the leading H or V and minus the file
extension. For example, let's say your favorite control relay is AB 700-P200A1. Click Lookup and find
the AB 700-P200A1 record. Click in the WDBLKNAM field and enter CR1, which is the last portion of
the file name for the standard control relay coil symbols (i.e. HCR1 and VCR1). The reason you do not
need to enter the H or V is because the first character in a symbol file name indicates vertical or
horizontal wire connections, which has no bearing on part number searches and assignments. So by
entering CR1 into the WDBLKNAM field of the AB 700-P200A1 record you instruct the AutoCAD
Electrical® Symbol Name Filtering to jump straight to the AB 700-P200A1 when you click Lookup from
the Insert/Edit Component menu for either symbol block HCR1 or VCR1. You could use this feature to
zero in on your favorites for all types of symbols. Try this: Insert a Green Pilot Light (block HLT1G or
VLT1G) and click Lookup. You will notice that all of the records displayed as choices are associated
with part numbers for green pilot lights only. Click on any record and press the Edit button on the
Lookup dialog. Notice that the WDBLKNAM field has an entry of LT1G. All of the green pilot lights from
the various suppliers have LT1G entered into their WDBLKNAM field, as a courtesy from Autodesk.
See illustration below:
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Managing auxiliary contacts with AutoCAD Electrical®

Suppose you have a contactor that is available with or without aux contacts. There are two ways to
approach this. You can simply enter the L1/T1, L2/T2, and L3/T3 pins in the Pin List Database and
consider the auxiliary contact pin numbers as something you assign manually when used. Or you might
permanently add the aux pins to the end of the Pin List for the contactor, making them automatically
available as needed, as illustrated in the following screen shot of the Pin List Database edit dialog.
If you wish you can just wait until you insert the coil and click the NO/NC Setup button to add the pins
on-the-fly. If you insert the main contacts first, using the 3-phase contact from the component menu,
AutoCAD Electrical® will serve the pins in order as L1/T1, L2/T2, L3/T3, etc. The auxiliary pins will be
next available after the main contacts are inserted. When you insert the normally-open auxiliary contact
symbol, the pin assignments will be filled in automatically from the Pin List Database. The syntax for
the pin list is 1,L1,T1;1,L2,T2;1,L3,T3;1,13,14 with ;1,13,14 denoting the auxiliary normally-open
contact. If you have added more than one set of N.O. auxiliary contact pin assignment choices to the
pin list you can click the List button below the pins area of the Insert/Edit Component dialog and select
a specific pin set for the contact. See the screen capture below:
But let's just say I only use the auxiliary contacts infrequently and thus I only have the main contact pin
assignments entered into in the pin list database. Later I decide I must add a N.O. aux contact
designated as pins 13 and 14. First I edit the coil symbol and add the part number for the auxiliary
contact to the Multiple Catalog list, so it would be included in the BOM. I then click the NO/NC Setup
button and add ;1,13,14 to the end of the pin list. That is a semicolon followed by the number 1 for
N.O. then a comma with no space and a 13 followed by another comma with no space and a 14. The
complete NO/NC Setup then appears as follows: 1,L1,T1;1,L2,T2;1,L3,T3;1,13,14.

I am now ready to insert the N.O. auxliary contact and pin numbers 13 and 14 will be available.

Note: The syntax for a N.C. aux contact with pin numbers 11 and 12 would be ;2,11,12 with the
number 2 designating normally-closed.

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AutoCAD Electrical® allows the Schematic to also serve as a

Wiring Diagram
I like it when the same documentation that was used to build it can be used to troubleshoot it. When the
schematic is also a wiring diagram it is easier to understand the route a wire takes. For example, think
of a 14AWG wire branching off from a main circuit breaker to feed a control circuit. There is also a
10AWG wire connected to the breaker from a main disconnect on the door. If I use a dot (the typical
schematic only approach) I am only showing the panel shop, or the troubleshooting technician, that the
branch wire is connected to the same node as the wire from the disconnect to the breaker. That's fine if
I only want to know the electrical potential on the wire, or if I am analyzing the logic of the circuit. (see
example below)
But what if my production line is down and I am trying to trace the wires during troubleshooting? Did
they use a wire-nut, or is the dot a solder joint? Maybe it's a terminal block? Which wire-ways do I
uncover to trace the wire? Does the wire cross the door hinge and connect to the main disconnect or
does it connect to the circuit breaker on the mounting plate? Our European friends would use an angled
wire symbol on the schematic to make it clear that the branch wire is connected to the breaker, along
with the wire from the main disconnect. (see example below)

The angled wire tee symbol in AutoCAD Electrical serves two purposes. Starting with version 2008 the
angled wire symbol orientation clears up the ambiguity on the print and also dictates the wiring
sequence on the wire from/to list. The orientation you select by pressing the spacebar on your keyboard
when inserting or toggling an angled wire symbol also tells the wire from/to list generator exactly how
you want the wires at this node connected.
There is an occasional issue with both dots and angled wire symbols that is common with all Electrical
CADD software that I have seen in my travels. The wire type cannot be different for the branch wire or
the main wire in the node when using dots or angled wire symbols. So your branch wire, and all wires at
that node, must all be the same size and color. AutoCAD Electrical had this problem solved back in the
1990s. You can mimic the real world and actually connect two wires to the breaker terminal. AutoCAD
Electrical will automatically angle the second wire off at a 45-degree angle. Optionally you can fly-out
the Insert Wire menu and select 22.5 or 67.5 degree angles instead. The branch wire can be any size
and color of your choosing. (see example below)

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Using AutoCAD Electrical® to create a power bus from terminal

blocks
So you wish to create a power bus by installing a jumper-bar down the middle a terminal strip. The
following is the method I have used since 1997 and it works perfectly. It has been further enhanced
since the introduction of the Terminal Strip Editor (a.k.a. TSE). This method applies to either vertical
or horizontal power rails. In this example I will use a standard ladder diagram. Insert the ladder and
rungs as usual. Replace the ambiguous node dots with terminal block symbols, since your power
rail is actually made up of terminal blocks; not solder joints, wire-nuts, or a daisy-chain of wire. Open the
Create/Edit Wire Type dialog and add a new wire type named JUMPER or JUMPER-BAR if you
prefer. Use Change/Convert Wire Type to assign all segments of wire between the terminal block
symbols to the layer named JUMPER or JUMPER-BAR. This takes care of the schematic portion of the
power bus. Easy isn't it? The JUMPER or JUMPER-BAR layer will still be considered a current carrying
conductor, as it truly is, and will even pass along the wire number (a.k.a. node number) to other
connected devices. But it will not appear in the From/To List as a wire that must be connected. Note:
AutoCAD Electrical® is programmed not to include a wire type (layer) with the word JUMPER anywhere
in its name when it creates a wire From/To List. The illustration below shows the JUMPER-BAR layer
assigned to the vertical rails (shown in magenta color). Use any color that would not be confused with
your wiring standard. I chose magenta since I have no magenta wires in the system.
Now to the panel layout. Use the Terminal Strip Editor (a.k.a. TSE) to insert the terminal strip. Hint: I
don't even both assign MFG and CAT in the schematic. I wait and do that with TSE because I can
highlight all termihnals and assign at once. Also, I may not yet be sure what type of terminal block I will
be using. I may find a space constraint in the panel layout and decide to use multi-level terminals. So I
just wait until I am laying out the panel to decide the exact vendor and part number for my terminal
blocks. So go ahead and insert the terminal strip using TSE, and do not worry about the jumper-bar
yet. Use the Symbol Builder to create a footprint for each jumper-bar you are likely to need. I have 2-
point, 3-point, 4-point, 5-point, 10-point, etc. Hint: You could download a DXF or DWG from the
vendor's web site and convert it to a footprint using Symbol Builder. I go ahead and pre-load the MFG
and CAT attributes with the vendor data since these jumper-bars are usually a unique spacing and form
factor according to the vendor. I also prefer to use the WIPEOUT command and trace around the edges
of the jumper-bar symbol so, once inserted, the jumper-bar footprint will hide the portions of the terminal
footprint symbol that should not be visible. I save these jumper-bar footprint files in the same folder as
the supplier of the terminal blocks, under the Libs/Panel path. After you insert the terminal strip, TSE will
perform a bi-directional update to fill in the MFG and CAT fields with the part numbers you assigned. If
you chose to install multi-level terminals, once you got to the panel layout, TSE will also update the
schematic symbols with their level assignments. Once the terminal strip is inserted and TSE has
updated the affected schematic drawings, click the Insert Footprint button on the Panel Layout menu.
Click Browse and navigate to the appropriate jumper-bar footprint. Insert the jumper-bar footprint over
the terminal strip so it looks the way it will in the real world. See illustration below:
There you have it. The terminal strip in your panel layout appears the way it will appear in the actual
panel. You can insert balloons as needed and since the jumper-bar symbol has an ITEM attribute it will
be reported on the parts list (a.k.a. BOM) as a separate device.

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How to get AutoCAD Electrical® subassembly parts into the

BOM with unique item numbers
Starting with version 2009 of AutoCAD Electrical® you can assign an item number to parts listed in the
Multiple Catalog list for a component symbol. Take for example a 1794-TB3 terminal board for A-B Flex
I/O modules. This part may appear as a multiple catalog item under several "master parts", such as
1794-IB16, 1794-IR8, etc. AutoCAD Electrical® 2009 normally displays all Multiple Catalog items
beneath each master part they are associated with. This is because AutoCAD Electrical® is reasoning
that you want to see all components associated with each unique component Tag. But with a Tallied
Purchase List Format you prefer a simple sum total tally of all parts, according to item number. You
would not want to see 1794-TB3 listed in the BOM more than once, under each Flex I/O module. In fact
you only want to see each Item number listed once on the BOM. AutoCAD Electrical® 2009 and 2010
will list each subassembly part beneath its master, even if you select a Tallied Purchase List Format.
For example if the 1794-IB16 is item number 76 and the 1794-TB3 is item number 77, entered into the
Multiple Catalog list for the 1794-IB16, you would see them listed together, and that would seem right.
But then your 1794-IR8 might be item number 78 and in its Multiple Catalog list would be item number
77 again, because the 1794-TB3 is listed as a Multiple Catalog part under the 1794-IR8 as well as
under the 1794-IB16.

I will share with you how I have gotten around this issue during the years that I have been using
AutoCAD Electrical®. I have had this scenario with fuses and fuse holders, control relays and their
bases and clips, and with such parts as the 1794-TB3 Flex I/O terminal board.

Forget using Assembly Codes or Multiple Catalog. These will not provide the report format you seek.
There are two alternative approaches:

1. Insert a Generic Marker from the Panel Layout>Insert Footprint>Manual menu.

A Generic Marker is basically a footprint with attributes, but no geometry. You will see the MFG and
CAT attributes that you assign, but no geometry. Hint: You can manually type in the tag of the master
part this item goes with if you want it to be a "surf-able" entity associated with the master part. I place
the Generic Marker above or below by Flex I/O footprint. The footprint looks like a Flex I/O module
plugged into a 1794-TB3 terminal board. So the master part number is assigned to the footprint. I then
insert a Generic Marker above or below the Flex I/O footprint and assign MFG as AB and CAT as 1794-
TB3. I manually type in the Tag assignment of the master that this 1794-TB3 is associated with. The
quantity should be 1. Be sure to assign an Item Number. I will insert a Generic Marker next to each of
the Flex I/O footprints. Each will have a different Tag assignment but will carry the same MFG, CAT,
and ITEM assignment. This will result in one sum total listing for all 1794-TB3 boards, regardless of the
master part they are associated to. In the image below you see a Generic Marker located directly above
the Flex I/O module. What appears to be simple text is a fully functional, non-graphic, footprint which
captures the MFG and CAT to order the 1794-TB3 terminal board for the Flex I/O module directly
beneath it.
2. This method is "real-world". You think of your panel footprints in pieces. For example, the 1794-TB3
is installed in the panel and the 1794-IB16 is then plugged into it. In the case of a control relay, you
install the relay base, then the relay, and finally the clips. So with this method I actually create multiple
footprints, each with a complete set of Panel Footprint Attributes. They are inserted one on top of the
other, as if I were the panel shop technician installing the components. So in the case of the Flex I/O
and its terminal board I split the Flex I/O footprint into two separate blocks, one to represent the 1794-
TB3 terminal board and the other to represent the module. I use a common base point for each footprint
block so I can overlay them accurately. I usually insert the base device using the Browse feature on the
Panel Layout>Insert Footprint menu. I list the Flex I/O module in the footprint lookup database so it is
inserted using the Insert Footprint from Schematic List function on the Panel Layout toolbar. In other
words, the actual part number that is common to both the schematic and the panel layout is the 1794-
IB16 so this is the one I enter into the Footprint Lookup database. But the terminal board will only
appear in the panel layout, so it gets inserted as a separate footprint using the Browse button. You can
insert the terminal boards before inserting the modules (if you know how many you need), or you can
insert the terminal board after you have inserted the module footprints.

Below is an example using method 2 to insert the three parts that make up a control relay, each with its
own set of attributes, so each can be assigned a separate item number. In this scenario, the bases
were inserted first, then the retainer clips, using a common insertion point. Finally the relay coil was
inserted from the Schematic List. To link the relay with the base and retainer clips I just copy and paste
the relay coil's TAG into the TAG field of the base footprint and retainer clips footprint, either using the
Edit Footprint tool or Enhanced Attribute Editor.
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How to use Footprints created with plain "vanilla" AutoCAD®

You can use existing "dumb" footprint blocks "as-is" if you wish. AutoCAD Electrical® has a group of
blocks at the root level of the Panel folder that contain various types of attributes, according to the type
of component the footprint represents. Use the Footprint Database File Editor to associate your footprint
with the MFG, CAT, and optional ASSYCODE combination that should trigger insertion of this footprint.
When you choose this component using the Insert Footprint from Schematic List method AutoCAD
Electrical® will merge the appropriate block from the Panel folder into the footprint on insert, so the
attribute data from the schematic symbol will have a bucket to be dumped into. When AutoCAD
Electrical® resorts to this "merge-in" method the attributes are inserted at the base point of the footprint.
You can use the Move/Show Attribute command to reposition the attribute(s). Below is an example of a
contactor footprint block that has no attributes. During the Insert Footprint from Schematic List process
AutoCAD Electrical® added the needed attributes using the "merge-in" blocks from the Panel folder.
If you want to avoid the merge-in method, use the Symbol Builder to pre-load and pre-position the
attributes. The Symbol Builder will provide a list of appropriate attributes commonly used in footprint
blocks. The footprints in the image below were created or modified with Symbol Builder and contain the
appropriate AutoCAD Electrical® compliant attributes, each in a predetermined location.

There are two ways to manage sub-assemblies. The first is to edit the main part in the default_cat.mdb
and assign an Assembly Code. Click the checkbox next to Assembly Code and enter a string of text of
your choosing. Next find the parts that will be sub-assembly parts of the main part and edit their record
in the default_cat.mdb, clicking on the checkbox next to Assembly List and entering the same string of
text you entered into the Assembly Code field of the main part. From now on when you click Lookup
and select the main part, the Assembly Code will cause the BOM reports to include the sub-assembly
parts. See screen images below:

Another approach to sub-assembly parts is the Multiple Catalog method. Click Multiple Catalog while on
the Insert/Edit dialog. There is a drop-down arrow at the top right of the dialog that steps you through up
to 99 pages for entering sub-assembly parts. You will find a Catalog Lookup button that allows you to
look up sub-assembly parts. Each sub-assembly part you assign is stored as XDATA values ending in
MFG01 and CAT01 for the first entry, MFG02 and CAT02 for the second part, etc. Hint: You can pre-
load these sub-assembly parts by adding attributes into the footprint block named MFG01 and CAT01
for the first part, MFG02 and CAT02 for the second part, and so forth and so on up to MFG99 and
CAT99. Enter the manufacturer's name into the default value field of MFG01, MFG02, etc. attributes
and enter the appropriate catalog number into the default value of the CAT01, CAT02, etc. attributes.
Be sure to enter the MFG and CAT data just as it appears in the default_cat.mdb. See screen image
below:

Note: If you use the Assembly Code method, parts checked as Assembly List parts will not appear
during the Catalog Lookup unless you check the boxes labeled "All" at the top of the Lookup dialog. So
it is best to choose either the Assembly Code method or the Multiple Catalog method but not both. I
teach both methods in my AutoCAD Electrical® training course but I suggest only using one or the
other. There is an advantage to the Multiple Catalog method as it allows you to assign item numbers to
the Multiple Catalog parts. See screen image below:
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Sharing AutoCAD Electrical® across a network

To share AutoCAD Electrical® design files with other users over a network simply move the AeData
folder, and all its subfolders, from My Documents\Acade 2008 (or whatever version you have) to your
network drive. Next, right-click at the command line prompt and select Options. Add the network path to
the Support File Search path and move it to the top. When AutoCAD Electrical® finds AeData it will
then be able to locate Catalogs, PLCs, Proj (projects), and the WD.ENV file, so everyone will be sharing
the same design environment.

The term wire number is a form of colloquialism. It is actually an electrical node number, or even a
potential number, to be downright technical about it. We have a colloquialism associated with ladders as
well. Is it really a 1-phase ladder when you use L1 and L2? The term single-phase technically refers to a
power source derived from a single "hot" phase and neutral,

As for the libraries you could copy the Libs folder and all subfolders (i.e. JIC125, IEC2, Panel, etc.) to
the network. The key is your project properties. Right-click on project properties and set the library
paths for schematic symbols and panel footprints to your network path. AutoCAD Electrical® will then
find everything it needs.

For custom schematic symbols create a network folder called CustomSymbols, parallel to the JIC1,
JIC125, IEC2, IEC4, and panel folders that you moved to the network. Store any new schematic
symbols you create in this CustomSymbols folder. Also, if there are any AutoCAD Electrical® stock
symbols that you choose to modify do not change the originals. Copy the original to your
CustomSymbols and change it there. DO NOT rename it. Keep the name the same but always put your
CustomSymbols folder in the project's library path as the first library to search. That way if you have a
modified version of a stock schematic symbol, AutoCAD Electrical® will find the one in your
CustomSymbols (based upon file name) before it will look in the JIC125, IEC2, etc. When you copy
projects, the library path statements copy with them, so you will only need to set this up once if you
always start a new project from an existing one.

For custom footprints, create a folder inside the Libs\Panel folder called Custom Footprints. When you
create a new footprint, store it in this custom folder. Go to the Footprint Database File Editor and simply
enter the path to your footprint under the MFG and CAT entry for an existing part, or add a new MFG
and CAT entry with the path to your footprint. Hint: You can use existing footprints that you have made
with plain AutoCAD if you wish. Even if they do not have the proper attributes for AutoCAD Electrical®
compliance, AutoCAD Electrical® will merge some blocks it has stored in the panel folder to add the
attributes it needs, on-the-fly. These attribute blocks insert at the base point so you may need to move
some of the attributes around after insertion, using the Edit Attributes tool. If you want a permanent
location for attributes in footprints you use repeatedly, consider using the Symbol Builder to add the
appropriate footprint attributes permanently to the blocks.

As a bonus you can edit the WD.ENV file to automatically point to your CustomSymbols and Custom
Footprints folders when clicking the Browse button in the Insert Component or Insert Footprint dialog
boxes. Also, by setting this path, the Symbol Builder will default to these locations when saving a new
symbol that you create.

Here is an example of the schematic symbol re-direct in a WD.ENV file:

WD_INSCOMPDLG,S:\Libs\CustomSymbols,to override starting path for INS SCHEM COMP browse
button

Here is the one for Panel Footprints:

WD_INSFPDLG,S:\Libs\panel\My Footprints,to override starting path for INS PNL COMP browse button

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List of Family Codes used by AutoCAD Electrical®
These Family Codes correspond to the table names found in the default_cat.mdb database file. When
you click Lookup to assign a part number to a component, AutoCAD Electrical® looks at the 2nd and
3rd character in the edited symbol's file name (a.k.a. block name) and opens the corresponding table
inside the catalog database. This is the first level of filtering used during a part number assignment
Lookup.

Family Code = Description

AM = Amp Meters
AN = Annunciation (Bells / Buzzers / Horns)
BA = Batteries
C0 = Connectors/Pins
CA = Capacitor
CB = Circuit Breakers
CN = Receptacles/Plugs-Pins That Break Wire Number
CR = Control Relays
DB = Distribution Blocks
DI = Diodes
DN = Device NET
DR = Drives
DS - Disconnect Switches
DV = Generic Device
EN = Enclosures / Hardware
FL = Float Switches
FM = Frequency Meters
FS = Flow Switches
FT = Foot Switches
FU = Fuses
GN = Ground
HT = Heaters
LR = Latching Relays
LS = Limit Switches
LT = Lights
MO = Motors
MS = Motor Starters/Contactors
NP = Name Plates
OL = Overloads
PB = Push Buttons
PC = Pull Cord Switches
PE = Photo Eye Switches/photo electric sensors
PG = A-Plug Switches
PLCIO = Programmable Logic Controllers
PS = Pressure Switches
PW = Power Supplies
PX = Proximity Switches/proximity sensors
RE = Resistors
SS = Selector Switches
SU = Suppressor/surge suppressor
SV = Solenoid Valves
SW = Generic Switches
TC = Thermocouple
TD = Timer Relays
TG = Toggle Switches
TRMS = Terminal Blocks
TS = Temperature Switches
VM = Volt Meters
VR = Variable Resistors
WO = Cables
XF = Transformers

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AutoCAD Electrical® IEC tag mode (Combined

Installation/Location tag mode) explained
IEC tag mode (Combined Installation/Location tag mode) causes AutoCAD Electrical® to view the
Installation code and Location code as part of the overall component tag. There is no need for IEC tag
mode with ladder diagrams and JIC symbols if you are not going to utilize the Installation and Location
code fields. However, I happen to prefer IEC tag mode even for ladder diagrams and JIC symbols, for
two main reasons:

1. The Insert/Edit Components dialog makes more sense with the project set for IEC tag mode.
The layout of the Insert/Edit Component dialog normally has the Installation and Location codes
at the bottom middle of the dialog, away from the Tag field. However, the installation and location
concept originated in Europe and is common in DIN/IEC drawings in order to differentiate between
components that might have the same tag but are located in a different panel. Thus the hierarchy
is Installation-Location-Component Tag. The Insert/Edit Component dialog for IEC tag mode
is laid out as shown in the illustration below:

To set up IEC tag mode simply right-click over the project name in the Project Manager and
select Properties. Click on the Components tab and set the check boxes as shown below:
2. The second reason I prefer IEC tag mode is to differentiate between components in field panels
that are tagged the same. For example, let's say you have a common junction box that you use for
each of your motors. The junction box is mass produced for you and contains a terminal strip
tagged as TB1 and a disconnect switch tagged as DS1. See the illustration below:

Without the IEC tag mode (Combined Installation/Location tag mode) engaged the Electrical
Audit routine in AutoCAD Electrical® would detect two terminal strips tagged as TB1 and two
disconnect switches tagged as DS1 and report an error. But with IEC tag mode engaged Electrical
 Audit correctly interprets these as two separate terminal strips and two separate disconnect
switches because it considers the Installation and Location values as part of the component tag.

Hint: Check the box next to the option labeled "Format Installation/Location into tag" if you wish to
have the Installation and Location codes appear in line with the tag. If so I suggest using brief
abbreviations for the INST and LOC codes. For example +LINE1=MAIN-1K1 indicates an Installation of
LINE1, a location of MAIN, and relay K1 on sheet 1. This is typical IEC tagging. The plus (+) denotes
Installation code, the equal sign (=) denotes Location code, and the dash (-) denotes component tag.
Typical IEC drawings are assigned a default Installation and Location code that appears in the title
block of each drawing/page. It is understood that all components on the drawing are in this
Installation/Location unless otherwise noted. The exceptions are usually surrounded by a dashed box
called a Location Box in AutoCAD Electrical®. If you prefer to suppress the Installation/Location
portion of the component tags that match the drawing/page defaults, check the box labeled "Suppress
Installation/Location in tag when match drawing default".

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The origin of the JIC symbols that ship with AutoCAD

Electrical®
I travel across America and other parts of the world teaching AutoCAD Electrical®. I can tell you that, in
general, the standard is no standard. I wish that were not the case. In Europe they follow an established
standard called IEC almost to the letter, no matter where you go. However in America, it is as if no
standards exist. I have seen control relays tagged as CR, MCR, R, RC, and a unique tag for each relay,
according to its function in that particular machine. I've been using AutoCAD Electrical® since 1997.
The JIC symbols in AutoCAD Electrical® appeared to inherit the most common tagging schemes seen
around the U.S., most of which do match published standards, the chief being JIC. The Joint Industrial
Council (JIC) dissolved by the 1980s so the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) was asked to
take over. The NFPA released NFPA-79 which incorporated the JIC standards with some updates. I
think what you see with AutoCAD Electrical® and its predecessor is an attempt to appeal to the
everyday user. Thus you will see the most commonly accepted tagging formats, most of which do
match the JIC standards. But in a few cases you may also see what I refer to as technical
colloquialisms.

The term wire number is a form of colloquialism. It is actually an electrical node number, or even a
potential number, to be downright technical about it. We have a colloquialism associated with ladders as
well. Is it really a 1-phase ladder when you use L1 and L2? The term single-phase technically refers to a
power source derived from a single "hot" phase and neutral,

The developers were tasked with creating an electrical design tool that allows us to design highly
sophisticated machinery, yet the tool itself must be as intuitive as possible so the designer doesn't lose
himself/herself in learning the tool. Thus it appears that the developers chose to incorporate common
terminology and common practices into the software, not an absolute adherence to a certain standard.
Again, back in the days when AutoCAD Electrical® was created the established standard in the U.S.
was more of an "every man for himself" standard.

Consider this: Where did we get the standard for using blue wire for D.C. control voltage? It is a
“defacto” standard derived from the common practices at automobile manufacturers. Since automobile
manufacturers were among the first to incorporate sophisticated control systems, their common
practices became a “defacto” standard. Once in a while I run across someone who uses red for DC(+)
and black for DC(-).

Don't assume that the major corporations are following standards to a proverbial “t”. One of the oldest
and most recognizable electrical companies, known throughout the world, uses component tags on a
"circuit-function" basis. Each time they insert a symbol they manually enter its tag, according to the
component’s use within the machine. Thus no two relays will necessarily have the same tagging format.
One may be RM12 while another is TM42, and another is KC14. The format has nothing to do with
published electrical standards. They just have a system in place whereby the name of the relay tells
them what control circuit function it serves.

In summation, I do not fault the developers of AutoCAD Electrical® with regard to symbol libraries. They
could have chosen to release a common design tool and let us create our own symbols. They gave us
the symbol builder tool just for that purpose. But they were also kind enough to give us over 1500
symbols in various orientations as a sort of “starter set” that we could use and tweak as desired. With
this starter set of symbols they had to choose some default tagging scheme from the various ones that
existed at the time. What they chose was mostly from the JIC standards but with a few variations, based
upon common practices of the time. But we have the option to modify to our delight, either by changing
the default in the TAG1 attribute of the symbol files or by using the wd_fam.dat ASCII file method. If you
prefer, you can use the Symbol Builder to create your own symbol(s) from scratch.

The world is becoming more interested in not only national but international standards. For example the
IEC library that ships with AutoCAD Electrical® was developed a few years ago in accordance with IEC-
60617, which governs the appearance of the symbols, and IEC-61346, which governs the tagging
format. But two owners ago, when AutoCAD Electrical® was developed, there were various published
standards and even more common practice "defacto" standards in use in the U.S. I think If AutoCAD
Electrical® had been developed in this decade we might have seen a more strict adherence to the most
current U.S. symbol standards, like we see with the IEC symbols. It's funny to note that today, with the
published ANSI-Y32.2 and IEEE-315 symbol standards clearly in place alongside the NFPA-79 and UL-
508A safety standards, I can visit 5 companies and find 4 or maybe even 5 different "standards" in use
in America. It seems to me that the "standards" are still in somewhat of a state of flux, with personal
opinions or just plain "that's the way we've always done it" syndrome getting in the way.

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A General Overview of Global Electrical Standards

This is a general overview of various electrical design standards currently in use in the United States of
America and other parts of the world. In the U.S.A. ANSI-Y32.2 and IEEE-315 address the schematic
symbols used for electronic circuits and general electrical design, while NFPA-79 and UL-508A deal
with the safety requirements for industrial machinery, which invloves a different set of component class
designations for the symbols, more closely resembling the JIC standard from the 1960s and 1970s. UL-
508A deals directly with Industrial Control Panels while NFPA-79 addresses the entire machine.

The Joint Industrial Council (JIC) dissolved in the 1980s so the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) was invited to take over. The NFPA released NFPA-79 which incorporated the JIC standards
with some updates. Your design must meet the safety requirements of NFPA-79 and UL-508A in order
to obtain UL approval, just the same as CE approval will require adherence to IEC-60617, IEC-61346,
and IEC-60204. IEC-60617, IEC-61346, and IEC-60204 cover industrial machinery design in Europe
and other regions that now enforce IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standards.

ANSI-Y32.2 and IEEE-315 are similar to IEC-60617, dealing with the graphical look of the schematic
symbols, however they also cover the class designations for component tagging. IEC-61346 governs
the class designations for schematic symbols in IEC documents. ANSY Y32.2 and IEEE-315 have been
slowly migrating toward a closer synchronization with IEC-61346 for class designations. However
traditional ladder diagram schematics lean more toward the JIC and NFPA-79 class designations. I
think a complete adoption of ANSI/IEEE class designations in North America would lead to confusion
for those who have a history with ladder diagrams. The JIC/NFPA-79 standard is still very dominant in
ladder diagrams and ladder diagrams are still the norm for control schematics in North America.

NFPA-79 and UL-508A are similar to IEC-60204 with respect to the safety aspect of machine and
control panel design. Additionally NFPA-79, along with its subsequent updates, includes a list of class
designations, which happen to be very similar to those used in the JIC standard that preceded it.

The electrical CADD software isn't the designer! We are responsible for designing to meet the
required safety standards where the machinery will be installed. Compare AutoCAD Electrical® to a
carpenter's hammer. The carpenter must know where and how to nail, but without the hammer the job
would be more difficult and would take longer. Programs like AutoCAD Electrical® will support our
design by offering appropriate symbols for either the U.S. or International markets. The JIC library in
AutoCAD Electrical® is an appropriate symbol set to use for ladder diagrams, the dominant control
schematic method in North America, while the included IEC library would have more International
appeal.

z Back To INDEX

If you would like to discuss your ECAD needs, whether it be training, implementation, or
design support, please feel free to call Doug at (770) 841-8009, or send an e-mail to
ECADConsultant@aol.com.
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